Eight & Bob

Eight & Bob is a French fragrance house whose exclusive scents were created as early as the beginning of the twentieth century. The house produces limited quantities of fresh fragrances for elegant men and women to wear every day. So what is the remarkable story behind this brand with such an amusing name? Albert Fouquet was the son of a Parisian aristocrat and a member of French high society in the early twentieth century, as well as a fragrance connoisseur. In his room on the top floor of the family chateau, Fouquet created and refined various essences for his personal use, with the help of Philippe, the family’s butler. At social events, he would surprise everyone with a refined scent that became increasingly sought after among the exclusive social circle he frequented. Nevertheless, Fouquet continually turned down offers to market his perfume. So how was Eight & Bob born? One night during his 1937 summer vacation on the French Riviera (Côte d'Azur), Albert met and hit it off with a young American student traveling through France in a convertible. His name was John Kennedy. Within minutes of being introduced to him, J.F.K. was captivated by the scent Albert was wearing. John’s charm and warmth persuaded Albert to leave him a sample of his fragrance, along with a note at the hotel the next morning: "In this bottle, you will find the touch of French glamour missing from your American personality." After returning from his vacation, Albert received a letter from John in the United States, thanking him for the kind gesture and telling him how much his perfume had impressed his friends. He asked Albert to send him eight samples, "and if your production allows, one more for Bob" (meaning Bobby, John's brother). Not fully understanding the request, Albert decided to send a box with enough samples to offset the shipping costs. His perfectionism extended beyond the fragrance to everything around it. He did not fulfill the order until Philippe found some beautiful glass bottles in a Parisian pharmacy that Albert thought suited his fragrance. Finally, he ordered several boxes decorated with the same pattern as the shirt J.F.K. had worn when they met, then labeled the bottles and boxes with John's amusing request: "Eight & Bob." Albert was surprised a few months later when he began receiving letters from America requesting the fragrance from various Hollywood directors, producers, and actors, including Cary Grant and James Stewart. They all wanted the "Eight & Bob" fragrance, which they had apparently discovered through John's father, who had connections with famous stars thanks to his previous business ventures in the film industry. Unfortunately, the success of his fragrance did not spread much further, because Albert died in a car accident near Biarritz, France, in the spring of 1939. Philippe, the only person able to handle the orders, continued working for just a few months, until the start of World War II forced him to leave his job with the Fouquet family. For the final shipments, Philippe hid the bottles inside books that he had carefully cut by hand to keep the Nazis from discovering the fragrance. Decades later, the brand was revived, and the formula for Eight & Bob was fully restored, along with its carefully designed production process. It became one of the most exclusive fragrances. Its limited production is due to Fouquet's use of the "Andrea" plant, which he discovered in Chile. Andrea, the soul of this fragrance, is a rare wild plant that can only be harvested in December and January. The plants undergo a careful selection process, and only 7% are chosen. The process ends between March and April and determines how many units of Eight & Bob can be produced.